In a first for India, a high-risk first-time mother with multiple comorbidities and no further chance of conception gives birth to extremely premature triplets — all of whom survive 225 days in NICU without infections or long-term complications. Born at just 25 weeks of gestation and weighing a combined 2.5 kilograms, the three IVF-conceived girls were discharged from Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, with no lasting medical concerns — setting a new benchmark for neonatal outcomes in extreme prematurity.
The mother, a 46-year-old Delhi University professor and primigravida, had a prolonged history of infertility and was managing insulin-dependent diabetes and chronic hypertension during pregnancy. She conceived via IVF after years of treatment, and the pregnancy was her only and final opportunity to become a biological parent. In the final weeks of gestation, she developed multiple infections, including pneumonia, necessitating ICU care after an emergency caesarean section successfully delivering triplets.
Despite the odds, the clinical course that followed was strikingly stable. Under the leadership of Dr. Hemant Sharma, Senior Neonatologist, a dedicated team of six doctors and nearly 20 NICU nurses worked in coordinated shifts to deliver continuous, individualized care to all three infants. Remarkably, none of the babies required mechanical ventilation—an exception at this gestational age. Only one received a single dose of surfactant and one blood transfusion. All three were initiated on enteral feeds within nine hours of birth and achieved full mother’s milk feeds by day four—well ahead of international norms. Over 225 days in neonatal intensive care, the triplets recorded zero hospital-acquired infections and no intraventricular haemorrhages.
Dr. Hemant Sharma, Senior Neonatologist at Amrita Hospital, said, “This was a very complicated case with the mother having diabetes and expecting premature delivery. These were three very small babies, Tridevi, as the team would fondly call them, born far earlier than we would ever hope. But what made the difference was steady, careful care—non-invasive support, timely feeding with mother’s milk, and close observation. We just focused on getting the fundamentals right, every single day, with a team fully committed to their well-being.”
Jyotsna, the mother, remained deeply involved in the care journey despite being critically ill herself. From the ICU, she continued to express breast milk—a key factor in the triplets’ nutritional success and immunity. Donor milk was also used as a life-saving supplement, underlining the need to strengthen India’s human milk bank ecosystem.
Jyotsna, 46 years old, mother of the triplet, said, “I am truly grateful to Amrita Hospital. From the moment my daughters were born, I felt they were in safe hands. The doctors and nurses were not just skilled but also very kind. Even when I was unwell, they helped me stay connected to my babies, encouraged me to keep expressing milk, and supported us through every step. I just have gratitude for helping bring all three of them home.”
In a country where over 3.5 million babies are born prematurely every year, and 300,000 children die before the age of five, this case represents a beacon of hope and a triumph of evidence-based, protocol-driven neonatal care, especially in high-risk IVF pregnancies. As India strengthens its focus on reducing neonatal mortality under the India Newborn Action Plan and SDG 3.2, this case serves as a powerful reminder of what’s possible through system-wide readiness. It highlights the need for advanced neonatal nursing, access to human milk banking, and a multifaceted approach so that more premature babies not only survive but also go home healthy.
